Multicolor stamping of dinnerware



1952 w. H. EMERSON 2,613,594

MULTICOLOR STAMPING OF DINNERWARE Filed Oct. 1, 1947 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

WALTER H. EMERSON DECEASED,

ELIZABETH K. EMERsb-,ExEcuTR|x AMM mun... FMRJK.

Oct. 14, 1952 w. H. EMERSON MULTICOLOR STAMPING OF DINNERWARE 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 1. 1947 INVENTOR. N, DECEASED,

WALTER H. EMERSO ELlZABgH K. EMERSON, EXECUTRIX Oct. 14, 1952 w, H. EMERSON MULTICOLOR STAMPING OF DINNERWARE 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 1, 1947 IN VENTOR.

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um A WE Oct. 14, 1952 w. H. EMERSON MULTICOLOR STAMPING OF DINNERWARE 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct 1. 1947 86 2 87 WALTER H.EMERSO Get. 14, 1952 w EMERSON 2,613,594

MULTICOLOR STAMPING OF DINNERWARE Filed Oct. 1, 1947 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Oct. 14, 1952 w. H. EMERSON 2,613,594

MULTICOLOR STAMPING OF DINNERWARE Filed Oct. 1, 1947 7 Sheets-Sheet e Oct. 14, 1952 w. H. EMERSON 2,613,594

MULTICOLOR STAMPING OF DINNERWARE Filed Oct. 1. 1947 "r Shets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR. WALTER H. EMERSON DECEASED r l lz em IKOEMER omz x ggufgz y 52 may Patented Oct. 14, 1952 7. 2,613,594 MULTI'COLOR STAMPING F DINNERWARE Walter. H. Emerson, deceased, late of East Liver- .pool, Ohio, byElizabeth King Emerson, execu trig, East Liverpool, Ohio, assignor to .The 7 Homer .Laughlin China Company, Newell,

:W. Va, a corporation of Delawarev I Application October 1,1947, Serial No. 777,222

Claims. 1

This invention relates to dinnerware .decorating apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for use in the printing 10f decoration .in a plurality of colors on an article of ware.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide apparatus which makes .:it possible to print multi-color decoration on :aniarticle of ware with the different colors registering with :one another, which permits .eachcolor to be printed by a separate printing device, which allows any desired number of colors to be used, :and which decorates ware rapidly. enough to be commercially practicable. A. more specific -object is to provide an independent chuck for carrying an article of ware, fastened thereon in predetermined position, through successive decorating stations. p r

In accordance with this invention *anarticle .of

ware is placed on an individual ware carrier which supports means for holding the warein predetermined position. .Tlhe. ware preferably first is centered on this chuck, .suchas by means forming a part of the chuck or by separate centering means, and then thewareis heldinthat position mechanically or by suction while the ware is being decorated by differentjprinting .devices to which the chuck is movedin succession. While each successive color is being applied to the ware the supporting chuckiis held in such aposition that the colorwill register in the desired manner with the color previously applied to'the ware. After the decorating has been completed the decorated ware is removed from. the chuck and an undecorated piece afllxed to it. Most suitably, the chuckis carried from one station to another by an automatic conveyor, andat each station the chuck is lifted from theconveyer .to press the ware carried by vthe chuck against a decorating'stamp above it, or tohold .the were adjacent some other type of color printing: device. In such a case the chuck and the lifting means are so formed as to holdth'e chuck-in proper position at each station, so thatcolorsprinted on the Ware at the successive .stations will register exactly with one another. i

The invention is illustrated .iuthegaccompanymg drawings in which Fig. I1 i-s-.-a plan view of part of a simple machine Ker-decorating ware; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary verticalpsection through the machine taken on :line II-.I I, of Fig. land showing the chucks being lifted fromthetable; Figs. 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 are enlarged plan-views of five different chucks with ware thereon partly broken away (the chuck-.in Fig..:3 utilizingan external vacuum pump to hold the ware'on it, the

chuck in Fig. 5 containing its'own vacuum producingdevicethe chuck in Fig. 7 using pressure sensitive adhesive for holding the ware thereon, the chuck in Fig. 9 requiring the ware to be rotated to engage retaining members with the ware, and the chuck in Fig. 11 mechanically gripping the ware when the ware is pressed down onto it) Figs. 4, 6, 8, 10,.and 12 are vertical sections through the different chucks shown in Figs. 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11, respectively; and Fig; 13 is an enlarged front view of the chuck-positioning bracket and roller. v

For the purpose of simplifying the drawings and description, this invention is shown embodied in a simple rotary machine of the indexing type. This machine fully illustrates the principles of the invention. -In .actual practice when it is desirable to'print many colors on. anarticle-oi": ware, a rotary machine would have to be made so large as to become impracticable. Therefore, a straight line machine is preferred because it permits decoration with an infinite number of colors, and it is in such a machine that this invention has its-greatest value. Only the major elements of the rotary'machine shown herein are 'illustrated- Among other things, the bearings for the rotating and theslidingshafts and .posts are omitted. p' r l M Referring to Figs. land 2 of the drawings, a table I is rigidly: mounted on the upper end of a rotatable shaft 2. The tableis provided with a plurality of inwardly extendingirecesses 3 spaced an equal number of degrees ap-art,-four recesses being shown for the'p-urpose of illustration only. In practice, the number of recesses depends on the number of colors that'the ware is toreceive.

Each recess has an inner circular portion sur. rounded by an incomplete 'ring lxwhichforms a tapered seat for thechucks 68170 be described later. The particular tableshown is turned periodically by any suitable indexing mechanism, such as a Geneva drive (not. shown) operatively connected to the table'shaft in wellknown manner. It follows that? there 'arefour stations around the table. At one of these stations ware, such 'as-an article l ef dinnerware, is affixed tonne of the-chucks carried loosely in" the table recesses. At thenext' two stationsdec'ora tions are printed on the ware. The remaining station may be an unloading station, or both an unloading and. loading station; At' the different stations vertically reciprocableflifting devices 3, a, lo, and n mmonites below the table cesses. The tops .of these v devices noifinally are located below the table, but during each pause in the rotation of the table they move up through the table recesses above them to lift the chucks from the table. At the ware-affixing station a ware-centering member I3 is mounted directly above the lifting device 8. At the decorating stations decoration printers, such as stamps l4 and I5, are mounted above the underlying lifting devices 9 and I0, respectively, in axial alignment with them.

It is a feature of this invention that each article of ware to be decorated is attached rigidly to a. separate independent chuck 6 and then is carried by that chuck through the different steps of the decorating cycle. One form of chuck that may be used is shown in Figs. 2 to 4. This chuck has a circular cup-shape base 2| encircled by a shoulder 22 from which a seating surface 23 tapers downwardly. The shoulder and tapered surface form a seat which will cooperate with any of the seating rings 4 on the table. The bottom of the chuck has a downwardly tapered portion 24 of reduced diameter provided with a recess 26. This bottom portion is adapted to seat snugly in the top of any one of the lifting devices. The bottom wall of the chuck is provided with a central opening 21 controlled by a suitable check valve, preferably by a flap valve 28 of rubber or the like located below the opening and provided with a lateral projection 29 attached at its outer end to the base by a screw 30. Normally there is a little space :between this valve and the base. The upper portion of the chuck base is encircled by a ring 32 of impervious resilient material, such as rubber, the upper surface of which is inclined downwardly toward the center of the chuck. This ring is for the purpose of supporting an article of dinnerware l, with the rim of which it forms a seal. It will be seen that if the air pressure within the chuck is reduced, the ware will compress the rubber ring and be held firmly in place on it.

For the purpose of afiixing ware in proper position to a chuck, lifting device 8 includes a lifting head 33 mounted on the'upper end of a hollow post 34. The top of the head is provided with a tapered socket for receiving the tapered lower end 24 of a chuck. One way of reciprocating the head is by means of a continuously rotating drum 35 encircled by a cam groove 36 in which is disposed a roller 31 connected to the side of the post. Every time the cam lifts the post, the head is elevated through the table recess above it to pick up the chuck resting in that recess in order to raise it above the table. As the chuck is moved upwardly, the ware supported by it enters the downwardly flared centering ring I3 which is disposed in axial alignment with the lifting head. The ring adjusts the ware laterally on supporting ring 32' to center it on the chuck. The centering ring is adjustably mounted on the lower end of .a, rod 38 which is slidably supported in a vertical tube 39 held above the chuck in any suitable manner. As shown in detail in Fig. 6, rod 38 is provided with a collar 4| that prevents it from droppingout out the tube, but, if a piece of ware happens to be oversize, it can push the centering ring upwardly toward the tube. A coil spring 42 encircles the rod in the tubeto resist upward movement of the ring.

As soon as the ware is centered on the chuck, air is withdrawn from inside the chuck so' that the ware will be secured thereto in centered position. This may be accomplished by extending the axial passage 43 (Fig. 4) in hollow post 34 up through the head 33, and by connecting the side of the passage to a flexible hose 44 that leads to a three-way main valve 46 connected by a pipe 41 to any suitable vacuum producing system (not shown). When main valve 46 is in one position it connects pipe 41 with the hose, but when moved to its other position it closes the pipe and connects the hose with the atmo'sphere. The valve may be operated manually or automatically in any well-known manner. As soon as the ware has been centered on the chuck, this valve is-operated to connect pipe 41 with hose 44in order to reduce the air pressure inthe chuck. .;The flap valve on the bottom of the chuck'then is closed, following which the main valve is operated to connect post passage 43 with the atmosphere so that the chuck can be removed from the lifting head.

For automaticall-y closing the flap valve, a rod 48 extends slidably through a packing gland 49 at the lower end of the post and up through the post and head. The rod is pressed downwardly by a coil spring5l' which encircles itsupper end and bears against a perforated collar 52 secured to the rod and engaging a shoulder in the post. The lower end of the .-rod carries a roller 53 which rides in a cam .groove 54 in drum 35. This cam is formed for raising the rod in the post after the post has reached the top of its stroke,'so that the-upper end of the. rod will press the flap valve up againstthe bottom of the chuck and vholdrit there while the main valve is manipulated/to;- admit atmospheric pressure to the lifting head. Atmospheric pressure then will hold the flap. valve closed while the rod descends in the post.: Thepost and rod move down together to set the'chuck back in the table ring 4 from which it was raised. In Fig. 4 the chuck is shown at the moment the lifting head 33 has set it inring 4, before the lifting head has moved down away from the chuck so that the table can be turned to carry the chuck to the next station. Attached to the bottom of the flap valve-is a metal disc 55 with which the rod makes contact; and which adds weight to the valve to assure its hanging away from the chuck opening when the air pressure inside the chuck it atmospheric- 4 Following this, the table is indexed to transport the chuck-and ware to ithe'first decorating station where the chuck again i is lifted from the table, this time by the lifting device 9 which includes a head 51 mounted on the upper end of a post-58. The post is reciprocated vertically in any suitable manner, such as by a rotating cam 59 on a continuously rotating shaft 60, and thehead is provided with a tapered socket for snugly receiving the tapered bottom of the chuck. When the post is raise'd,the head lifts the chuck and presses the ware carried by it against decorating stamp M. The stamp is mounted on the lower endof a rod 62 which is supported above the table in any suitable manner. The roller which periodically applies color to the stamp is not shown, so as not to complicate the drawings unnecessarily, but such rollers and their operation are well known.

'Another important feature of this invention is that the chuck is held in a preselected position on the lifting head when the ware is pressed against the stamp, so that the colors applied to the ware at successive stations will register with one another. Special provision is made for this because of the'diificulty of controlling the enough to insure registration of colors, because 5. the chucks. may rotate" slightly in their seats while traveling from one. station to, another, and becausethey may be rotated slightly when they are picked up by thelifting devices or reseated on the table.

There are various ways in which the position of the chuck on the lifting head can be controlled, one of thernbeing as follows. As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 13, a bifurcated bracket 65 is mounted on the side of lifting head 51 and has the opposite sides of its vertical slot 66 curved transversely so that they will make only line contact with a small roller 61 between them pro jecting radially from the side of the chuck base. The roller is of such a diameter compared to the width of the lower portion of the slot that it will just touch both sides of the slotwhen the bracket is moved upwardly to straddle the roller. In the beginning the chucks" are placed on the table in such a position that the wide upper end of" slot 65 will be sure to receive the roller ti on each successive chuck as the bracket rises, so that the bracket will rotate the chuck in either direction in table seat 4 whatever amount is necessary to cause the roller to engageboth sides of the lower portion of the slot. At the next decorating station the lifting head 68 is provided with-a similar bifurcated bracket 69 which will have to be below roller 61' on the chuck when the latter is indexed into position above head 68. Therefore, whenthe head moves upwardly toward the table the bracket will straddle the roller and, if the chuck is not in correct position, will turn the chuck in seat t as the roller enters the lower part of the slot. The position of the first positioning bracket 65 relative to stamp 14 is immaterial, but the position of the second bracket 69' is important because it must be able to receive roller 61 after the chuck has-been indexed to the second decorating station. The position of the second stamp l5, and'of any following stamps, relativeto the underlying chuck-positioning bracket also is very important, because of the second color applied to the ware must register with the first color. Therefore, when the machine is set, up stamp 15 is turned on its axis and shifted laterally to the position inwhichthe decoration printed by it on the ware. will register with the decoration printed by the-"first stamp. Then stamp 5 is locked in that position. Registration then will be assured, because the position of the first decoration is controlled by the positioning, bracket After decoration of the ware has been completed, the table indexes the chuck to the fourth station where the chuck is lifted from the table by lifting device II. This device may be constructed the same as lifting device 8, except that it does not include the rod by which the flap valve is closed. When the chuck is lifted from the table, suction is applied to it throughthe lifting device so that the flap valve will be pulled away from the bottom of the chuck. Due to the weight of thevalve, it will remain open when the bottom of the chuckis connected with theat mosphere, whereupon atmospheric, pressure will be restored to the inside of'the chuck so that the decorated ware can be removed from it. An undecorated article of ware then is placed on the chuck immediately, or as soon as the chuck has been indexed to the affixing station, and the cycle just described then is repeated. Of course it will be understood'that there are chucks 6- in all of the table recesses at the same time, and

that all of the lifting devices rise together. Therefore, when apiece ofware is being centered on the chuck at, the first statiom two other pieces are being pressed against the decorating stamps at the same time, and a fourth piece is being released from the chuck at the unloading station.

If desired, the apparatus for reducing the air pressure in the chuck may be incorporated in the chuck itself. In such a case. the lifting device at the ware-aflixing station can be made substantiiillythe same as. the ones at the decorating'stations, and the lifting device at the urn loading station can be omitted. Self-contained mented'while the inner portion of the ring converges upwardly away from the base as shown in broken lines. Slidably mounted in the axial opening in the base is a stem 136 on the upper end of which'a plate 11 is mounted. This. plate is smaller than the inside of the flexible. ring. Secure to the lower end of the stem is a convex disc 18 which rests on a rubber diaphragm til the edge of which is clamped tightly against the top of the recess by meansof'a clamping ring 8 l. The stem is provided with an axial passage 82 that terminates at its upper end in radial passages 83 directly'beneath'the plate. The lower end of passage 82 is connected by radial passages 84 with the outside of the stem. The two groups of radial passages 83 and 84 are spaced apart a distance equal to the thickness of the chuck base between its upper surface and the top of recess 13,- so that the area above'the chuck can be placed in communication with the area enclosed by the diaphragm.

Inusing this chuck an article of dinnerware is set on plate 11 which at that time is held above ring 14 by diaphragm l9 engaging the disc at the bottom of stem 18. The chuck then is lifted from the table by means of the vertically reciprocated lifting head 33 to move. the ware up into the centering ring 13 above it. As the ware engages the inside of the ring it is shifted laterallyon plate 1'! into axial alignment with the chuck; At the same time the chuck continues to rise, sothe ware is pressed downwardly toward it; This is possible. because stem T6 can slide down through the chuck base and stretch thed-iaphragm. As soon as thediaphragm starts to be stretched, the bottomof the ware engages the upturned inner edge of the flexible ring and seals the chamber above the chuck base. As the capacity of" this upper chamber becomes smaller the size of the lower chamber enclosed bythe diaphragm becomes larger, but the size of the latter chamber increases more rapidly than the size of the upper chamber decreases. The result is that some ofthe air from the upper chamber is drawn through the passages in the stem into the lower chamber, whereby the ware is held down on the fiat ringby suction. The stem is detachably located in its lower position by meansof a ball 86 which is pressed by a spring 8.7. in a bore 88 in the chuck base into an annular groove 88 in the stem. As soon as the ball has snapped into the groove the chuck is lowered with the ware attached to it. After the ware has been decorated at the successive decorating stations it can be removed from the chuck by simply liftin .the ware. The resistance of spring 81 will be overcome by the weight of the chuck so that plate 11 and the stem will rise and permit normal atmospheric pressure to occur in the upper chamber.

If desired, the ware I may be held on the chuck by an'adhesive which is engaged by the bottom of the ware after the ware has been adjusted into centered. position on a 'depressible supporting member. For example, the chuck shown in Figs. 7 and 8 has a circular base 9| provided with a central vertical opening in which a threaded bushing 92' is mounted. Screwed on the projecting upper end of this bushing is the depressed central portion 93 of a retaining member which has a circular platelike body 94. Although it is possible to apply the adhesive to this plate for engagement by the foot of the ware, it is preferred to provide the plate at equally spaced points aroundits periphery with three outwardly and upwardly extendin lugs 96 the upper surfaces of which are inclined downwardly toward the center of the retaining member at about the same angle as the rim of theware to be attached to the chuck. Mounted on the top of each lug is a thin layer of resilient material 91, such as'sponge rubber, on the upper surface of which there is a. layer of a suitable pressure sensitive adhesive 98.

The body of the retaining member is provided with vertical slots 98 extending through it and crossing each other at r'ightangles at the center of the member. Movablev vertically in these slots are crossed bars IOI 'Which are rigidly mounted on the upper end of a stem I02 that is slidably disposed in the central bushing 92. The tops of the bars normally are held in a plane near the top of lugs 96 by a light coil spring I03 that encircles the stem between the bars and the top of the bushing. An article of dinnerware set on these bars can be moved sideways thereon to center position, and then be pressed downwardly against the adhesive on the lugs. This adhesive will hold the dinnerware article in its depressed position and also will keep it from being moved out of center position. For centering the ware on the bars and pressing it against the adhesive, the chuck is raised from the table by lifting head 33 to move the ware into engagement with the centering ring I3 above it. After the ware has been decorated, it is removed from the chuck by simply lifting it therefrom. v

There are various ways in which the warecentering means can be made a part of the chuck, but they generally include the use of three pins or the like which are movable simultaneously toward the axis of the chuck to center the ware first and then to hold it firmly in place. One way of accomplishing this is shown in Figs. 9 and where the chuck has a base I06 on which a stationary horizontal gear I01 is mounted. The base has a laterally projecting roller 61 for properly positioning it on. a lifting head. Extending through the center of the gear and base is a bushing I08 in which a stem I09 is rotatably and slidably mounted. A fiat plate I I I is rigidly mounted on the upper end of the stem and is urgedupwardly away from the base by means of a coil spring vI I2compressed between the plate and gear. At points spaced 120 apart, the plate is provided with downwardly extending sleeves H3 in each of which theupper end of a pin H4 is slidably. and rotatably mounted. The lower ends of the pins rest on the chuck base beside the gear. Pinions I I6 meshing with the gear are rigidly mounted on the lower portions of the pins and are held in place by means of a retaining ring II'I overlying the gear teeth; Each sleeve telescopes into the cup-like inner end of an arm II8 secured to'the. underlying pinion. The arm extends radiallyv away from the chuck base, and the outer 'end of the'arm extends upwardly and is provided'with a bore through which a headed centering pin 'I I9 extends. The lower end of the bore is enlarged and contains a coil spring I2I that presses downwardlybn a nut I22 on the lower end of the pin.

When an article of dinnerware I is pressed down on plate III and rotated, the plate carries pinions IIG'around the gear by means of which they are rotated. The pinions therefore swing centering pins II9 inwardly against the edge of the ware to shift it "laterally on the plate until it is centered thereon. The ware then is released. and the coil spring II2 raises it until stopped by the heads I23 of the pins overlapping the edge of the ware. The pins therefore both center and lock the ware on the chuck until the ware again is pressed down and turned in the opposite direction to swingthe centering pins away from it. In case the ware is warped slightly, the springs IZI on the centering pins will allow the pins to accommodate themselves .to it. For very small diameter ware, the supporting plate may be provided with inwardly extending slots I24 that will permit th centering pins to move much closer to the ,center of, the plate, as indicated in broken linesi ia-B- Another chuck with self-contained centering means is shown in Figs. 11 and 12. The base I26 of this chuck isprovided with a positioning roller 51, andwith a central opening in which a stem I2! is slidably mounted. The stem need not rotate in the chuck base. Rigidly mounted on the upper end of the stem is a plate I28 for supporting an article of ware I. This plate has radially projecting portions spaced apart, and each is provided with a downwardly tapered opening forming a seat for a ball I29 held in place by a retainipgring I30. Each ball is provided with a central vertical passage which a headed centering pin I32 isslidably mounted. Below the ball .the pin is reduced in diameter to form a shoulder I33. Pressed upwardly against this shoulder by means of a coil spring I34 is the bifurcated, outer end of an arm I35 disposed radially of the plate. Near its inner end the arm is-providedwith a pair of upwardly projecting lugs I37 that straddle a lug I38 projecting down- Wardly ,frorn thebottom of the plate. Apivot pin I39 extends through these three lugs, The plate I28 is urged upwardly away from the chuck basebymeans of a coil spring I 4| encircling stem I21 and compressed between the plate and the inner ends of arms I35. While the plate is in its upper position, spring [M will hold the inner ends of thearms down on thecentral portion of the base and thereby cause their outer ends to slide pins I32 .upwardly in the balls to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 12.

An article of ware can be placed on the plate by insertingthe edge of the ware under the head I42 of a centering pin and pushing it sideways to swing the pinaway. from the other two so that the edge of the plate can move down past them. When theware is seated on thelplate and pressed down, the engagement of the inner ends of arms 35 with the central portion of the chuck base will swing the outer ends, of the arms down .in order to pull the centering pins down in theballs until the heads of the-pinsoverlap and engage the edge of the ware Any further downward movement of the-arms will beutaken up by the springs 134 on the pins. When the pins are pulled down into ware-holding position, they assume vertical, positions. and. thereby move the ware into centered position-on the plate.

Plate I28 is held in itslower position bymeans ofa spring catch J43 attached to the upper wall of the recess [44 in the bottom of the base. The lower end of this catchsnaps over a shoulder I46 on a nut 14! adjustably mo unted on a screw M8 projecting from theilower end of stem I21. When it is desired to remove the ware from the plate, the lower end of the spring catch is sprung out of engagement with-the shoulder by pressing upwardly on a knob ,MS; mounted on the outer end of a pin 158 secured to the catch. The coil spring Ml then will lift the plate and ware,and arms I35 will lift the centering pins in the balls. The ware can be removed from the chuck by moving the ware sideways against one of the pins to free its opposite edge from the heads of the other two pins. The ware then can be lifted from between thethree pins. v

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, the principle, construction and mode of operation of the invention isexplained and what is considered to be the best embodiment of the invention is illustrated and described. However, it is desired to have it understood that, within the scope of the appendedclaims, the invention 'may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described;

What is claimed is:

1. In the multicolor deoora ng of dinnerware, an individual ware carrier, a movable support for supporting the carrier andmoving it laterally from one decorating stationto another, retaining means for centering an article of ware on the carrier and holding it in fixed position thereon throughout the decorating operation, lifting members for elevating said carrier from said support at each of said stations, decorators for decorating the elevated ware at each station, and interengaging positioners mounted on said members and carrier for rotating the elevated carrier on a vertical axis to a predetermined position at each station, whereby to produce registration of the decorations applied to the ware at said stations.

2. In the multicolor decorating of dinnerware, an individual ware carrier, a movable support for periodically supporting the carrier and moving it laterally from one decorating station to another, a decorating stamp disposed above the carrier at each decorating station, retaining means supported by the carrier for holding an article of ware in predetermined fixed position thereon throughout the decorating operation, elevating members independent of said support for lifting the carrier from the support at each of said stations to press the ware-thereon against the stamp above it, and laterally projecting members on said elevating members and carrier and provided with engageable surfaces for rotating the carrier on a vertical axis to a predetermined position whileit is being lifted, whereby to proplurality of colors, comprising a conveyor pro vided with a vertical opening through .itand moving in only one general direction from one decorating station to another, a-decorating stamp disposed above said conveyor opening at each of said stations, a ware carrier normally seated in said conveyor opening, retaining means supported by said carrier adapted to hold an article of ware in predetermined fixed position thereon throughout the decorating operation, and a vertically movable lifting member normally below the conveyor opening at each station and adapted to be raised through said opening to lift the carrier-from the conveyor in order to press the ware thereon against the stamp above it, said lifting member being provided with means for rotating the carrier on a vertical axis for adjusting the carrier to a predetermined position and holding it there while it is being lifted, whereby to produce registration of the decorations stamped on the ware at said stations.

4. In the multicolor decorating of dinnerware, an individual ware carrier, a movable support for supporting the carrier and moving it laterally from one station to another, lifting members for elevating said carrier from said support at each of said stations, a centering device above one station for centering an article of ware on the carrier when the carrier is elevated at that station, retaining means supported by the carrier for holding the centered ware in fixed position thereon, decorators for applying decoration to the elevated ware at succeeding stations, and interengaging positioners mounted on said members and carrier for rotating the elevated carrier on a vertical axis to a predetermined position at each decorating station, whereby to produce registration of the decorations applied to the ware at said decorating stations.

5. In dinnerware decorating apparatus, an :in- 7 dependent ware carrienware-engaging retaining means supported by the carrier for holding an article of ware in predetermined fixed position thereon, a vertically reciprocable member, means for moving the carrier into a position above said member, means for raising said member to engage the carrier above it and lift the carrier, a decorator for decorating the ware on the elevated carrier, and said member and carrier being provided with an off-center projection and recess that register only in a single predetermined position.

6. In dinnerware decorating apparatus, a chuck base, a vertically movable support above said base adapted to slidably support an article of ware so that the ware can be adjusted laterally into predetermined position on said support, means urging said support upwardly away from the base, said support being adapted to be'depressed by downward pressure on ware placed thereon, retaining means for holding ware in said predetermined position on the depressed support, a vertically reciprocable member adapted to engage said base and lift it, and said member and base being provided with interengaging means for rotating the base into a predetermined position on said member as said member rises into engagement with the base.

'7. In dinnerware decorating apparatus, a chuck base, a vertically movable support above said base adapted to slidably support an article of ware,

centering means disposed above said support and base and independent of them adapted to move ware on said support laterally into predetermined position thereon, resilient means urging said sup- 11 port upwardly away from the base, said support being adapted to be depressed by downward pressure on ware placed on it, retaining means connected to the base for holding said support depressed and the ware in said predetermined position thereon, a vertically reciprocable member adapted to engage said base and lift it, andsaid member and base being provided with interengaging means for rotating the base into a predetermined position on said 'member as said member rises into engagement with the base.

8'."In dinnerware decorating apparatus, a chuck base, a vertically movable support above said base adapted to slidably support an'article of ware, resilient means urging said support upwardly away from the base, a circular horizontal ring flaring downwardly, a holder for said ring above said ware support, mechanism for effecting relative vertical movement between said base and ring whereby the ring will center ware on said support and press the ware and support downwardly relative to the base, retaining means connected to the base for holding the support depressed and the ware centered thereon, a vertically reciprocable member adapted to engage said base and lift it, and said member and base being provided with interengaging means for rotating the base into a predetermined position on said member as said member rises into engagement with the base. v

9. In the multicolor decoration of dinnerware, a horizontal chuck, retaining means supported by the chuck for holding an article of ware in predetermined fixed position thereon throughout the decorating operation, a plurality of chuck supports for receiving the chuck in succession, a ware decorating stamp disposed above each support, and interengaging means mounted on the chuck and each support and provided with cam surfaces that'engage and force the chuck to rotate on its axis into a predetermined position on the underlying support as it is received by that support.

10. In the'multicolor decorating of dinnerware, an individual ware carrier, a movable support for-supporting the carrier and moving it laterally from one decorating station to another, a decorating stamp disposed above the carrier at each decorating station, retaining means supported by the carrier for holding an article of ware in predetermined fixed position thereon throughout the decorating operation, lifting members for lifting the carrier from said support at each of said stations to press the ware thereon against the stamp above it, and said lifting members and carrier being provided with interengaging means provided with cam surfaces that engage when a lifting member moves up into engagement with the carrier and force the carrier to rotate on a vertical axis into predetermined position on said member, whereby t0 produce registration of the decorations stamped on the ware at said stations.

' n ELIZABETH KING EMERSON, E'xecatrigc' of the Estate of Walter H. Emerson,

Deceased.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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